Digital Book Printing

It’s an exciting time in the print industry and, if you are an author, digital printing could be your best option to get your story onto paper. Technology has brought a level of elegance, quality, superiority, and most importantly, accessibility, to digital printing which did not exist until recently. Now more than ever authors need these qualities, along with consistency and flexibility – two features that make digital book printing reign supreme.

Digital printing (including print-on-demand services), also known as “short run” or “medium run” printing, uses an electric charge to transfer toner or ink to paper. It is often compared with “offset printing,” which is a traditional method used for higher quantities of print jobs. With offset printing, the print is first burned onto a plate and then transferred (or offset) to a rubber blanket, then to the printing surface. But, technicalities aside: how can digital printing help you?

For starters, self-publishing via digital printing puts the author in the driver’s seat. For the first time in the history of publishing the writer can actively participate in his or her own destiny. They no longer have to keep their work on a shelf as they wait months or years for a “big break” – they can instead take the lead and begin the process themselves. Many successful authors have gone this route, including Robert T. Kiyosaki, who self-published “Rich Dad, Poor Dad,” which sold 1.5 million copies before being picked up by a major publisher.

Among the many advantages of digital printing are:

• the ability to print small amounts of product in a cost-effective manner;
• freedom of not having  to tie up thousands of dollars or inventory space to house books; and
• the flexibility to make frequent changes quickly and easily.

Additional benefits are:

• Turn-around time. If you want to be able to have copies produced quickly, digital is the option for you.
• Customization. Digital printing continues to be one of the most viable options to affordably customize books, letters, marketing materials, direct mailings, and other promotional items.
• Quantity. There is no minimum to be met, as books are printed on demand.

Some authors fear that self-publishing may hinder their chances of being picked up by a larger publishing house. As we have seen in the example above, as with many, many other success stories, the opposite in fact holds true. Self-publishing using the digital print method is an effective way to develop and test a book, considering the content, design, and marketing methods can be altered as you go. It shows the world that you are serious about your project. Writing and publishing is a process, and sometimes it takes time to get it right – time that don’t need to sacrifice due to high costs, inventory, and other barriers, thanks to the option of digital printing.

Gasch makes it easy to self publish by taking extra time to personally work with new authors, and by guiding every author through the process.  If you need help designing covers, getting you files ready to print, or obtaining ISBN numbers, we are here to make this process as smooth as possible.